Howard County school teachers are among the best paid in the state and the region. The superintendent said she wants to keep it that way but doubts the teachers union feels the same way.

"The union leadership right now is not being transparent with teachers. They're not being honest with teachers. They are not truly telling teachers what the negotiated offer on the table actually is," Howard County Schools Superintendent Dr. Renee Foose said.

The union president said that's not so and said there's nothing to hide.

"Our members are the judge of that, and we communicate very frequently and forcibly. I know that's troublesome sometimes, but we communicate very clearly with our 5,500 members almost daily," said Paul Lemle, president of the Howard County Education Association.

The school system said it is offering teachers a one-year contract with up to a 5 percent pay raise.

"It's an immediate raise beginning July 1, and it's a cost-of-living increment right away on July 1. To stand in the way of teachers getting that raise, I think, is a disservice to them," Foose said.

The union said it wants a two-year contract and has reasons why.

"It allows us to protect benefits for another year to make sure our employees have good health care and retirement solutions," Lemle said.

"The union leadership is asking for a multiyear deal that we are not in a position to offer at this point because we don't have certainties on what the financial picture is going to look like in multiple years," Foose said.

The union said what’s keeping the two sides apart has little to do with money.

"The other issues are the thing that's holding up the agreement -- planning time for teachers to deliver better lessons for students, collaboration time between support professionals and teachers, and access to technology for our support professionals," Lemle said.

Time is running out to approve a new contract before the last day of school for students on June 20. The current one-year teacher contract expires on June 30.

TEACHER CONTRACT TALKS HAVE STALLED AND HOWARD COUNTY. THE DISTRICT IS BLAMING THE TEACHERS UNION BUT THE UNION SAYS THERE IS MUCH MORE TO THE STORY. THIS ISSUE IS STARTING TO HEAT UP TO THE POINT THAT TALKS HAVE COME TO A HALT. IT HAS ALL TAKEN PLACE LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE THE CURRENT DEAL EXPIRES. HOWARD COUNTY SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE AMONG THE BEST PAID IN THE STATE. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS SHE WANTS TO KEEP IT THAT WAY BUT DOUBTS THE TEACHERS UNION WANTS TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. THE TEACHERS UNION ARE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT AND BEING HONEST WITH TEACHERS AND TELLING WHAT THE OFFER ON THE TABLE ACTUALLY IS. THE UNION PRESIDENT SAYS THAT IS NOT SO AND SAYS THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE. OUR MEMBERS ARE THE JUDGES OF THAT. WE COMMUNICATE VERY FORCEFULLY, AND I KNOW THAT IS TROUBLESOME SOMETIMES BUT WE COMMUNICATE VERY CLEARLY WITH OUR MEMBERS ALMOST DAILY. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS IT IS OFFERING TEACHERS A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH UP TO A FIVE ARE SENT PAY RAISE. AND MEDIATE -- IMMEDIATE RAISE JULY 1. COST-OF-LIVING RAISE. TO STAND IN THE WAY OF TEACHERS GETTING THE RAISE I THINK IS A DISSERVICE TO THEM. THE UNION SAYS IT WANTS A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT AND HAS ITS REASONS WHY. IT ALLOWS US TO PROTECT BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS. THE UNION IS ASKING FOR A MULTIYEAR DEAL THAT WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO OFFER AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A CERTAINTY FOR WHAT THE FINANCIAL PICTURE WILL LOOK LIKE FOR MULTIPLE YEARS. -- THE LITTLE THINGS ARE HOLDING UP THE AGREEMENT. PLANNING TIME FOR TEACHERS TO DELIVER BETTER LESSONS FOR STUDENTS. COLLABORATION TIME TO TRAIN SUPPORT OFFICIALS AND TEACHERS. ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY. TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO APPROVE A NEW CONTRACT BEFORE THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. SCHOOL WRAPS UP ON JUNE 20.